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EEC staff brief board on FY26 budget variations; fair-share funds and C3 remain central
Summary
EEC CFO and staff reviewed differences among the governor’s, House and Senate FY26 budget proposals, highlighted the role of fair-share supplemental funds and noted that Commonwealth Cares for Children (C3) is level-funded across proposals; staff flagged areas the agency will monitor in conference committee negotiations.
Department of Early Education and Care finance staff briefed the board on FY26 budget proposals from the governor, the House and the Senate and the supplemental fair-share allocations that will affect the department’s line items.
Eric Hansen, EEC chief financial officer, summarized that the governor’s FY26 package proposed continued investments in CPPI planning grants, maintaining CCFA caseload funding and sustaining C3 at $475 million. The Senate largely mirrored House 1 funding across major line items but made several notable adjustments: it added $1.5 million for state Head Start grants (raising that line from $18.5 million to $20 million), reduced Reach Out and Read by $750,000–$1 million and restored $2 million in operational funding to EEC’s administrative account that had been earmarked in the House plan.
Hansen explained that FY26 proposals divide funding between the general fund and ongoing fair-share revenue, and said the agency will closely monitor differences between the chambers that will be resolved in conference committee. He noted that the Senate’s version includes more fund splits across general and fair-share dollars for several EEC programs.
Commissioner Kershaw told board members the department is paying particular attention to the administrative line item (to support EEC staff and infrastructure), to CPPI implementation, and to caseload funding so the department can continue serving children in childcare financial assistance; she confirmed that FY25 supplemental action resolved outstanding FY25 payment issues and that the Early Education Care scholarship program is now online.
The board received the presentation for discussion; no formal vote was requested or taken. EEC staff said they will continue to track the conference committee process and report back when the final FY26 General Appropriations Act is negotiated and filed with the governor.
